Sivanh, a young Laotian artist and entrepreneur, shares how inclusive training empowered his journey from trauma to talent.
In the heart of Laos, a young man named Sivanh Sibounhueang has transformed tragedy into purpose. At the age of 16, he lost both arms in a life-altering electrical accident. The traumatic event led to isolation, depression, and uncertainty about his future. But instead of succumbing to despair, Sivanh picked up a pencil—with his toes—and started to draw.
Today, he is not only a thriving artist but a national advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship and disability empowerment. His journey was made possible through the Maybank R.I.S.E. Programme—an initiative by Maybank Foundation and implemented by People Systems Consultancy (PSC) to uplift marginalised communities across ASEAN, including persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Art as Healing and Hope
In the years following his accident, Sivanh found solace in sketching. What began as therapy evolved into a passion—and then a dream. With no formal training or structured support, he taught himself how to illustrate characters and cartoons using only his feet.
He would spend hours perfecting his technique, mimicking his favourite styles and experimenting with new ideas. Art gave him a voice when words were difficult to find. Yet even as his talent blossomed, Sivanh struggled to turn his passion into a sustainable income. Clients were few, and he lacked the tools and training to promote his work or price it competitively.
Turning Creativity into Livelihood
Through the Maybank R.I.S.E. Programme, Sivanh received structured training on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and customer analysis. The Business Profiling and Blue Ocean Strategy modules helped him define a niche offering: hand-painted cartoon artwork on sneakers and custom accessories.
Key skills he gained from the programme:
- Customer Profiling: Identifying his target audience—youth, sneaker enthusiasts, and art lovers—and tailoring his designs accordingly.
- Social Media Marketing: Building a professional Facebook presence that displayed his work and reached potential customers beyond his local area.
- Pricing and Branding: Understanding how to price for profit while communicating value through product storytelling.
- Financial Literacy: Separating personal and business income, managing budgets, and planning for business reinvestment.
Within just six months, his income surged from LAK 50,000 (USD 2.50) to LAK 10 million (USD 500)—a 400% increase. For the first time, his art was not just a hobby—it was a viable business.
A Ripple Effect of Impact
Empowered by his success, Sivanh began giving back to his community. He started running workshops and mentoring sessions for aspiring artists, particularly youth and PWDs who often lacked access to inclusive training opportunities.
Today, he:
- Trains over 100 students across schools, NGOs, and PWD networks.
- Mentors aspiring PWD entrepreneurs, offering peer-to-peer coaching and motivation.
- Judges regional and international art competitions, showcasing inclusive talent on global platforms.
- Organises community exhibitions and fundraisers, bringing visibility to creative entrepreneurship.
- Is developing an art gallery for PWD artists, in partnership with a private investor.
Through these efforts, Sivanh not only uplifts others—he challenges perceptions about what persons with disabilities can achieve when supported by the right opportunities.
A Model of Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Sivanh’s story exemplifies the core objectives of the Maybank R.I.S.E. Programme: to empower marginalised individuals with the tools to achieve financial independence and community impact.
Maybank Foundation’s Sustainability Commitment aims to improve the lives of 2 million households by 2025. R.I.S.E. plays a critical role in achieving this by creating pathways to economic empowerment through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and access to market knowledge.
The programme focuses on:
- Inclusive entrepreneurship
- Financial literacy training
- Small business mentoring
- Community upliftment
Sivanh’s business is a microcosm of what happens when individuals receive training, encouragement, and access to platforms. It becomes a social impact programme that delivers measurable returns—not just in income, but in confidence, agency, and social value.
Aligning With ESG Strategies That Deliver Results
Corporates across Southeast Asia are increasingly embedding social impact into their ESG strategies. Programmes like Maybank R.I.S.E. provide a blueprint for how organisations can align business purpose with community development.
For Maybank Foundation, this means delivering real-world change across ASEAN through targeted initiatives that support long-term financial empowerment. For implementers like PSC, it means designing and executing programmes that are inclusive, scalable, and measurable.
Sivanh’s story is a compelling case study of how a socially inclusive programme can directly support the “S” in ESG—by:
- Empowering marginalised individuals through skill development
- Increasing economic participation for underserved groups
- Creating ripple effects in the form of job creation, mentorship, and advocacy
These outcomes offer strong value for ESG reporting and stakeholder engagement, while simultaneously building trust within communities.
PSC’s Role in Making It Happen
As Maybank Foundation’s implementing partner, People Systems Consultancy (PSC) develops and delivers the R.I.S.E. Programme across ASEAN. Our strength lies in community-based capacity building: we train, mentor, and monitor thousands of entrepreneurs, creating frameworks that link social goals to business outcomes.
From curriculum design to on-the-ground delivery, PSC ensures that each participant receives support tailored to their context. This approach is critical to ensuring long-term impact and scalability—two key pillars of effective ESG programme execution.
For corporates seeking to expand their ESG footprint or embed social impact into their sustainability portfolios, PSC is a strategic partner with a track record of delivering transformative outcomes.
Why Stories Like Sivanh’s Matter
Sivanh’s journey is about more than art. It’s about strength, dignity, and what becomes possible when we invest in potential instead of defining people by their limitations.
From a traumatic accident to national recognition, he has shown what inclusive entrepreneurship can look like in action. And in doing so, he has become not just a success story—but a mentor, a community leader, and an advocate.
Partner With Us to Drive Social Impact Through ESG
Sivanh’s success is not an isolated one—it’s a result of strategic collaboration between visionary foundations and expert implementers. If your organisation is looking to build inclusive, scalable programmes that align with your ESG strategies, PSC can help.
🔗 Learn more about the Maybank R.I.S.E. Programme: https://www.maybankfoundation.com
🔗 Explore how PSC supports ESG-focused social impact: https://www.peoplesystemsconsultancy.com